Xylos: A Requiem in Shadow – A Puppet Planet in Malakar's Cosmic Game

Today, we shine a light on THE PLANET XYLOS and the Enigmatic races Xylosians and the Nocturis! The planet that came directly in conflict with planet NEBO and the Dragon Warriors.

The Harmonya Team

9/30/20258 min read

In the vast, terrifying canvas of the Harmonya Chronicles, where light battles shadow across countless realms, one name is whispered with a dread that echoes through the void: Xylos, the Dark Planet. This is no ordinary world; it is a profound testament to the triumph of shadow, a celestial body eternally draped in a pall of perpetual twilight and consuming despair ]. Xylos stands as a grim monument, a central piece in the sprawling, millennia-old conflict, a stark reminder of Malakar’s insidious reach across the cosmos. For those who seek to understand the deeper currents of this epic fantasy & fiction saga, Xylos offers a chilling glimpse into the true nature of ultimate darkness.

Far removed from the warm, life-giving light of other systems, Xylos hangs heavy in the inky blackness of a distant galaxy, often unnamed and uncharted, shrouded in an impenetrable veil of mystery and fear. Its surface is an intricate tapestry woven from shadows and despair, a world where light is but a distant, forgotten memory. The very sky of Xylos seems to writhe, a potent backdrop of thick, black clouds that appear alive, swallowing any hint of the heavens above and casting everything below into near-perfect obscurity. Here, amidst the swirling darkness, the sun, Nethor, is not a vibrant star but a dying ember, burning low and emitting only flickers of pale, lingering light. Its once-vibrant radiance has diminished to a mere whisper, splitting the world into stark regions of permanent twilight and relentless, suffocating darkness, creating landscapes perpetually shrouded in an unnerving enigma.

The land itself is a grim reflection of this celestial decay. Towering black mountains slice into the sky, their jagged peaks hidden in swirling black clouds that obscure the sun's feeble attempts to pierce the gloom. The ground beneath is a harsh, unforgiving expanse of rough stone and shadow, devoid of grass or any vibrant colour, marked by steep cliffs and deep ravines that plummet into unknown abysses. Beyond twisted, gnarled forests, whose shadowy branches writhe like clawed hands in a permanent dance of despair, stretches a vast black desert. This desert is flat and cracked, as if scorched by an unseen, ancient fire, its dark, coarse sand shifting beneath one's feet with an unsettling whisper, a chilling symphony of secrets shared among shadows. This is a desolate beauty, where flowers are but spectral memories of a more colourful world, and the absence of ordinary animals amplifies the pervasive solitude. Jagged cracks in the earth split the silence, hinting at the profound emptiness that reigns. Yet, life, or what passes for it, endures here – twisted forms born of darkness, elusive and blending seamlessly into their surroundings, their presence more felt than seen.

At the heart of this forsaken realm, citadels loom like forgotten gods, their midnight spires and crumbling stone adorned with arcane sigils, creating a cityscape that remains an enigma to outsiders. The streets of this dark city are paved with blackened cobblestones, winding through a labyrinth of obsidian-hued structures, each emanating an air of dark majesty and foreboding . It is a sanctuary for those who embrace the shadow, a realm where whispers of forgotten magic promise untold power amidst lurking dangers. Indeed, Xylos is a world where darkness is not an absence, but a palpable, thriving presence; a terrifying ecosystem that feeds on despair, yet paradoxically nurtures an ancient civilization.

The primary inhabitants of this accursed world are the Xylosians and within them a specialised warrior tribe called the Nocturi. These enigmatic races thrive in this pervasive darkness and shadow. They are sentient races, entirely devoid of any trace of light within their very being, yet they adapt to this dark existence with an unmatched, eerie grace. Formidable beings, the Nocturi typically stand between seven and eight feet tall, slender but rippling with an unnerving musculature]. Their skin resembles polished obsidian, possessing a luminescent sheen that refracts the faint, lingering light around them in unsettling ways. Their elongated limbs terminate in sharp, claw-like fingers, enabling them to manipulate the very denizens of darkness with chilling ease. Their eyes, glowing with shades of deep purple, betray a predatory intelligence that keenly surveys their shadow-drenched realm with ancient wisdom.

The Xylosians, the broader civilization that inhabits this planet, are renowned throughout their part of the cosmos as formidable warriors, masters of stealth and shadow. Their very loyalty to the dark lord Malakar is etched into the fiber of their being, their kingdom serving as a bulwark of his immense power. Generations ago, the ancestors of Xylos's current King, Heolstor, swore an oath to Malakar, pledging their kingdom, their strength, their armies of the Xylos, and their very existence to his service. And they have never faltered.

The Nocturi’s allegiance to the dark arts is absolute, bound by unbreakable ties. Their culture is steeped in primal rituals and the wielding of forbidden powers that echo through the blackened halls of their foreboding citadels. Every full moon, as Nethor, their dying star, wanes in its final luminous gasp, the Nocturi gather for the Culmination of Shadows. Draped in flowing, dark garb, they convene within a grand cathedral, where flickering braziers provide the only illumination for the runes lining the walls. Each Nocturi member bears a totem of despair, crafted from the remnants of luminous creatures that once roamed Xylos before being consumed by the pervasive darkness. At the peak of this unholy communion, their dark King, Heolstor, who is revered as the most powerful dark wizard in Malakar’s entire realm, stands elevated upon a dais. From this vantage point, Heolstor casts intertwining shadows, summoning dark creatures from the deepest recesses of the Realm of Night. This ritual births twisted monstrosities—shadow beasts of unfathomable designs, ravenous wraiths, and phantoms born of sorrow—all serving as both protectors and weapons against any who would threaten the dark realm of Xylos.

The landscapes of Xylos are teeming with such terrifying dark creatures, each a chilling manifestation born directly from the darkness itself. Among them are the Wraith Walkers, pale phantasms that trail specters of despair through the twisted woodlands known as the Tanglewood. These entities are potent agents of terror, their mere proximity inducing a paralyzing fear in all who encounter them, and legends whisper that they can leach hope from the hearts of the living, using it to restore the very darkness from which they emerged. Standing guard around the citadels are the Sentinels of Night, massive creatures resembling wolves, yet far more sinister. With elongated limbs and mouths lined with rows of jagged teeth, they embody predatory grace and are fiercely loyal to the Nocturi, acting as a bridge between the realms of shadow and the corporeal plane. Even at a distance, their flickering forms radiate a ferocity that lies dormant beneath an eerily calm exterior. In the depths of the Abyssal Forge, the dark king's most dreaded weapons are born. Stygian smiths craft armaments imbued with the power of the void, forging blades from the obsidian core of Xylos that pulse with an eerie light, capable of cleaving through both flesh and soul. These weapons are not just tools of war; they are covenants of despair, used in battle and in the sacrament of death .

Xylos: A Puppet in the Hands of the Master Manipulator

This pervasive darkness and terror are not accidental; they are the direct consequence of Malakar’s tyrannical reign. Malakar, the eternal god of darkness, the darkness incarnate, and a master manipulator, rules Xylos with an iron fist. His presence alone is enough to inspire dread among the dark races that scuttle through the caverns below, for tales describe him not through sight, but through the terror he inspires . He is often perceived as a figure cloaked in darkness, his form a swirling mass of shadow that twists and writhes like a nightmare. Those unfortunate enough to hear his sinister laughter describe it as a chilling symphony of madness—a sound that reverberates through the craggy mountains and sends shockwaves of fear coursing through every living creature, known to freeze blood and even cause death.

Xylos is not a sovereign realm but a strategic asset, a key piece in Malakar’s cosmic game of war and attrition . Malakar, the "puppet master in this shadowy theatre" , holds King Heolstor and the entire planet in an unbreakable grip of fear and a chilling promise of power. Heolstor's very longevity is a testament to Malakar's direct intervention, his life prolonged through a magical artifact bestowed by the dark lord. This gift, however, comes with an implicit understanding: defy Malakar, and not only Heolstor but "his entire lineage, all those threads of darkness [he has] spawned" will "burn in the fires of eternity". Such is the terrifying leash Malakar holds.

The creatures of Xylos bow to Malakar's will, their allegiance bought not by loyalty, but by terror and promises of power, serving him from an instinctual understanding that defiance equals destruction. The planet's landscape itself has become a grim reflection of his soul, a nightmarish tapestry of shadows where light fears to tread . Malakar thrives on fear and despair, seeking to amplify both through psychological manipulation, patiently toying with denizens before delivering the final, crushing blow [Source 70]. He is indeed Malakar, the master of every dark creature in the cosmos . His ultimate intent for every place his footprint touches, including Xylos, is to terraform it into an exact replica of his dark dominion, a permanent reminder that all must bow to him .Heolstor, the King of Xylos, is a willing but terrified instrument of Malakar's will. He lives in constant fear of Malakar’s wrath .

Xylos, therefore, is more than a planet; it is a monument to unyielding despair, a world forever altered by the passage of time and the testing forces of dark magic. It is a stark example of Malakar’s "long-term game, a calculated dance of power and deception", subtly shaping the destinies of worlds. As the last flickers of Nethor eventually fade into oblivion, its bizarre inhabitants, the Nocturi and Xylosians, will continue to carve their destiny from the depths of darkness, worshipping, fearing, and ultimately subsisting under the iron grip of Malakar. The mysteries of Xylos linger, a chilling testament to the power of the dark and the dreadful lore of its haunting inhabitants, forever reminding all that as long as Malakar reigns, darkness will always find a way to fester and spread across the many realms of Epic Fantasy & Fiction Awaits. The fate of worlds, even one as vibrant as the Enchanted Valley of Kidonya or the homes of the Dragon Warriors of Light, remains precariously balanced in this ongoing cosmic struggle within the Harmonya Chronicles.

Visit Harmonya Chronicles, to start your adventure and find out why this saga is consistently ranked among the best fantasy books for readers of all ages. No grand saga of such an epic scale is complete without Music! Listen to the soul stirring soundtrack of the saga and listen closely to what this dystopian cosmos has to say! Produced in collaboration with Swedish Indie Band OBSIDIAN HEART.